Overhead chimney damper



K..c. GRIGSBY 2,295,839 OVERHEAD CHIMNEY DAMPER Filed March 25, 1941 ssheets-sheet 1 Sept. 15, 1942.

Attorney ...AWVIITIJ SePt- 15, 1942- K. c. GRIGSBY 22955839 OVERHEADCHIMNEY DAMPER Filed March 25, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,M Il

Inventor @Mana A ttor e] Sept. 15, 1942. K. c. GRlGsBY OVERHEAD CHIMNEYDAMPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 25, 1941 I f1 ventor www, f 4775.4,

v 9 v BJ' v Attori/6 1' Patented Sept. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE OVERHEAD CHIMNEY DAMPER Kermen C. Grigsby, Waukegan, lll.

Application March 25, 1941, Serial No. 385,171

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in chimney dampersand more particularly to a damper for installation at the top of achimney especially in instances where the chimney is used forfireplaces.

An important object of the invention is to provide a damper for theupper end of chimneys to eliminate any downdraft whatsoever, which atpresent causes soot settlement on rugs, furniture, draperies and otherhousehold furniture.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a damper for theupper end of chimneys which willvserve to close off the chimney andprevent loss of radiated heat caused by updraft when the fireplace isnot in use.

Other objects reside in the provision of means for the exclusion ofinsects and other creatures, to reduce the nre hazard of sparksemanating from the chimney and others which will become apparent to thereader of the following specilication.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view through a chimney andreplace showing the damper installed.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the damper with a portion broken away.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the damper.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the clamper looking at a sideportion ninety degrees removed from that shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through the damper takensubstantially on the line 5 5 of Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken sul@k stantially on line 6-6of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the weight.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, itcan be seen that numeral 5 denotes a fireplace from which rises achimney 6. The damper unit generally referred to by numeral l forms thepresent invention and is installed at the extreme upper end of thechimney 6. l

As can be clearly seen in Figures 5 and 6, the unit 'I consists of ashell 8 open at its upper and lower ends and having a cross shaft 9therein with its ends journaled in openings of opposed side walls of theshell. Numeral I8 denotes a damper plate welded or otherwise secured atan intermediate portion to the shaft 9 and when in closed position hasone end resting on a shelf I I while its other end bears against a cleatI2.

As is apparent in Figures 5 and 6 55 some clearance I3 is allowedbetween the side walls of the shell 8 and the side edges of the damperplate I0.

Ears I4 and I5 are provided on the inside of the shell 8 and one end ofthe damper plate l0 and between these ears is connected a tension springI6 which serves to hold the damper plate in the closed position shown inFigure 6. An ear Il is provided at the other end of the damper plate I8and has a chain I8 or other elongated flexible element extendingtherefrom and across a guide I9 which depends from the lower portion ofthe shell 8. This chain'extends down the chimney to an eye 20 on aweight 2|. When this eye 28 is engaged over a hook 22 projecting fr0-m aside wall of the fireplace 5, the chain I8 will be loosened so that thespring I6 will serve to maintain the damper plate Ill in closedposition. However, when the eye 20 is removed from the hook 22, theweight will gravitate to the position shown in Figure 1 in broken lines,pulling open the damper plate I0 as is desired when the fireplace 5 isto be used. As shown in Figure 1, the hook 22 acts as a guide for thechain I 8, so as to keep the weight 2l toward one side of the fireplace.

A stop lug 23 is provided on one side wall of the shell 8 to limitopening movement of the plate I8.

The upper end of the shell 8 is provided with an outwardly disposed ange24 upon which sits a foraminous dome 25 which serves to break up sparksand under all circumstances prevent insects from entering the chimney.The dome 25 can be spot-welded to the flange 24.

Another purpose for the grill or foraminous dome 25 is the fact thatcross currents of air passing over the flue are cooled, the cooled airstriking the grill thus creating a lower temperature on the grill whichis conducted downwardly through the metal walls, thus eliminatinghazards of overheating and warping of the damper.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specificterms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, sizeand materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the claimed as new is:

In combination with a chimney, a damper unit comprising a shell fittedinto the top of the chimney, a central transverse rock shaft in saidshell, a damper plate in said shell fixed to said shaft and centeredrelative thereto for opening invention, what is and closing movementinto vertical and horizontal positions, respectively, a coil springconnected to one side of the damper plate and to said shell for movingthe plate toward closing position, an abutment ledge in said shell forlimiting closing movement of said plate, a pull chain connected to said,plate at the side thereof opposite the spring connected side and formoving said plate into opening position, said chain extending down saidchimney, a depending U-shaped guide on said shell adjacent one sidethereof for guiding the chain to hang therefrom at one side of thechimney, and an abutment stop above said shaft for limiting openingmovement of said plate.

KERMEN C GRIGSBY.

